


Clover Academy Christmas

by HotaruGFC (JaclynGFC)



Series: Clover Academy [1]
Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Christmas, Engagement, Established Relationship, F/M, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:28:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27646826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaclynGFC/pseuds/HotaruGFC
Summary: In the Clover Academy, students speculate about some of their favorite teachers' relationship status as the winter holidays begin. Little do they know how right they are.
Relationships: Charlotte Roselei/Yami Sukehiro
Series: Clover Academy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2021504
Comments: 8
Kudos: 85





	Clover Academy Christmas

"I find it hard to believe she isn't married or at least seeing someone."

  
The young man's voice echoed through the room even though Charlotte could tell he was trying to keep it to a conspiratorial whisper. She felt the group of students glance at her and then quickly become extremely interested in the plates before them as she passed by the end of their table. They were talking about her. She knew they were.

"She isn't very nice though, always saying things about how most men are ridiculous. Maybe she can't find a guy? Maybe she's too, I don't know, abrasive?" One of the girls commented this time. Charlotte stiffened. She forced herself to take another step, to keep the pattern she walked while supervising the students in the lunchroom. Another pair of eyes lingered on her as she rounded another table.

"At least she isn't Coach." Another girl grumbled. "Now there's a woman who is abrasive." Charlotte smiled at the assessment of her fellow faculty member. Mereoleona was a far too lyric name for the woman the students simply called "Coach."

"It's a shame. Christmas is coming up. Would be a sin for such a beauty to be without a date." Another one of the boys.

"Maybe you should ask her?" A different boy prodded. Charlotte chuckled softly to herself. She glanced at the table to see one of the boys look down at his plate sheepishly.

"Nah, she's a teacher. And dating a student would be weird. You can't just go around suggesting things like that. They could both get kicked out of school." Another girl added, laughing.

"As if she would ever go for him anyway." A different girl said and the table erupted with laughter.

Charlotte glanced over to the table as she continued her scan of the room. The last comment worried her. The way the kids talked to each other sometimes made it difficult for her to tell if they were being friendly or not. The knot of friends, however, were all laughter and smiles. Just a good-natured ribbing then...

The bell rang, calling all the students back to class. The youths flowed around her as they put away trays of half-eaten food and tossed their refuse in the various bins for disposal. Some students took great care in separating their garbage from their recyclables, while others simply tossed everything into one container. The noise and energy in the room shifted to focused action from the relaxed easy conversation of lunchtime.

But within two minutes, the cafeteria stood silent and empty, save for a few stragglers and the handful of staff putting away leftovers.  
Charlotte took a deep breath and let it out slowly in the now quiet space. She turned toward the teacher workroom where she would be able to finally have her own lunch.

***

Yami sat at the large table in the front of the room and opened his paper. He leaned back in the chair and propped his boots up on the desk as students shuffled through pages in a textbook. The kids grumbled, but he didn't care. He didn't want to be here. Not today. Not any day really. He glanced at the clock. He had just gotten off of his lunch break, but he wanted another cigarette. He grunted when he realized how little time had passed.

"Excuse me, Sir?" A timid voice called out from the crowd of students. He flipped the top of the paper down to look out at the crowd. The girl tried to hide behind her hand.

"What." He really didn't want to be here.

"Um, are we, um, are we supposed to turn the questions in, or..." Her voice faded to a soft sort of squeak as she withered beneath his gaze.

"I don't really care what you do with them." He flipped the paperback upward and searched for where he left off reading. Over time, the quiet room gave way to whispers which eventually gave way to full-blown conversations as questions and answers were practically shouted across the room. Someone dragged a chair screeching across the floor as students grouped up to finish the assignment more quickly.

More "collaboratively", or at least that's what he would tell his boss. He grunted, simultaneously feeling grateful to Julius for the job and a complete utter disdain for children as a concept and education in principle.

He really didn't want to be here today.

"Hey, Teach." One of the students asked from far too closely. "Got any plans for Christmas? Anyone special you gonna take out?"

He folded the paper down again and chewed the end of the unlit cigarette between his teeth. He would kill to be able to go out for a smoke. The young man who had asked the question looked at him expectantly, waggling his eyebrows in some sort of conspiracy. He ran his hand over his slicked-back silver and black hair. The light overhead reflected on the sunglasses he wore despite being inside and despite the day being overcast and threatening snow.

Yami flipped the paper back up, ignoring the question. Eventually, he heard a sigh and the sound of scuffling feet returning to their proper location. He let himself get drawn back into the article he was reading until he heard the sound of talking, and the discussion was most definitely not about the assigned topic.

Not that he cared.

Not really.

Until he heard his name.

"But Yami is so... intimidating. I'm not sure there is a single woman out there who could break through that tough shell of his. I mean, he even blows us off half the time."

He had always encouraged the students to call him by his name instead of some title. He hated the formality of titles, the stiffness, and the stuffiness.

Of course, his feelings on the matter didn't always mean the students would follow through on his requests. Most did, but even so, overhearing the kids talking about him was unsettling.

"I'm sure there's someone out there for him." One of the girls said in a dreamy sort of voice. A boy scoffed.

"Because of course there it. There's someone for everyone." The boy mimicked and then yelped. The thudding scrape of a chair being moved followed the outcry. "That hurt."

"Yeah, well, you shouldn't be so rude."

Yami nearly folded his paper back once more to put an end to the argument when another student chimed in herself.

"But let's assume a woman does exist for Yami. What do you think she would be like?"

"Why does it have to be a woman?" Another of the boys asked.

"Just because you're gay, doesn't mean everyone else is..." Another one said and Yami could practically hear the eye-roll.

"Okay then, let's assume a person out there is the perfect match for Yami. What would they be like?"

"They have to be strong. Maybe not physically, but they would have to at least have the inner strength to stand up to his intimidation."

"Yeah, like it wouldn't affect them at all."

"They would have to be hot."

"Why? It's not like he's all that hot with as muscular as he is."

"Not everyone has your preferences."

"But on a serious note, they need to be at least as attractive as he is, whatever you think that means."

"Fair, um... And a combat type too. I mean, I can't see him with someone who couldn't have his back in a fight."

“Could you imagine him with a soft sensitive healer? Like nurse lily?” One of the boys suggested, laughing.

“Hey!” The youngest member of the group protested. “I'm going to marry nurse lily and no one else!”

“Whatever, Asta: The group chorused.

“Ya know, I just thought of the perfect person for Teach.”

“Really? Who?”

“Now, hear me out, because it's going to sound crazy, but I think it would work.”

“Just spill it, Magna.”

“Professor Roselei.”

Shocked noises erupted in the group. Yami froze and peeked around the paper in his hands.

“How in the hell did you come up with that one?” Gauche asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, Magna, that seems a little too crazy,” Grey stammered.

“Well, she fits all the requirements. She is strong-willed, assertive, has very powerful magic, is hot, and underneath it all, she was also a soldier in her younger days. She's old, but not too old. She's also not too young either.”

“Ok, yeah, but she's smarter than him. Like way smarter. I mean she teaches calculus for crying out loud.”

“You think Yami would be intimidated by something like that?”

Yami watched the conversation with growing dread. He had never imagined anyone would even suggest the possibility of him hooking up with Charlotte. Hell, he never imagined himself hooking up with her. and When it had first happened, it had shocked them both, if he were to be frank about it. Neither had expected that first night to evolve into anything more.

But it had.

And since then, they had both been extremely careful with their relationship. They had gone to great lengths to keep it secret. They both had their jobs to think about.

Well, if Yami were to be honest, he couldn't care less about the job. He was only here because his old mentor had asked him to join the staff.

But Charlotte loved her job.

She was damn good at it too.

He wouldn't risk her happiness.

But now, to have the students suggesting they were together or should be together, Yami wondered if something had slipped to give them away.  
He listened further to their conversation, all while trying to draw as little attention to his spying as possible. After a moment, he released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

The kids were merely speculating. They had no proof, no evidence. They were simply making suggestions based on what they thought his relationship status should be.  
Unfortunately, somehow, despite the earlier misgivings, Magna had managed to convince most of the group to come around to his way of thinking.

Yami took a deep breath and tried turning his attention once more to the news of the day. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair as one of the questions the kids had raised nagged at him.

What exactly was he going to do for Charlotte for Christmas?

***

With the students dismissed, Charlotte took a deep breath and leaned back against the table at the front of the classroom. She looked back at the board at the front at all of the information gathered there. The students had progressed well in her mind since the start of the school year--at least those who had opted to take the class. The complex formulas danced before her in the beautiful poetry of creation, reminding her of college days spent in congress with professors and graduate students discussing the nuances of mathematical concepts. She missed those days terribly sometimes, but the feeling she got when one of the kids unlocked something or made a connection that hadn't been there before reminded her why she was here instead of there.

Other times, though, she struggled with her decision to join the teaching profession. Days like today, despite the progress the students made, were sometimes enough to make her question her choice. She knew she would not have made the choice had she not been recruited to join the faculty at one of the most prestigious academies in the kingdom.

Still, most days were great, even if the students tried to pry too deeply into her personal life.

Today's cafeteria discussion had continued into her classroom, albeit more subdued. She had tried to keep them on task, focused, but then she found the paper on which they had written their discussion. She picked up the crumpled mess of loose leaf and forced herself to look at it once more.

She found the poetry of calculus far more satisfying than the note's contents.

The students had speculated on potential romantic partners for her. Nearly all of the male faculty members were listed. A few of the female staff were on the paper as well. Most had been scratched out, but the few remaining had various comments written around them.

Charlotte sighed, wondering if being more open about her personal life would keep these sorts of things from happening.

And yet the thought of sharing anything with the students made her cringe.

She was not there to be their friend.

She was there to teach them.

Period.

She looked at the note once more before crumpling it up and tossing it in the trash bin.

She couldn't believe how close they had gotten...

As the ball of paper hit the edge of the bin before falling in, the door to the classroom opened.

"Hey, nice shot." Yami's rich, deep voice sent shivers down her spine.

"It was lucky." Charlotte looked back at the students' handiwork before picking up the eraser and cleaning the board. "And you shouldn't be here."

She could feel his gaze travel over her as he straightened a stack of papers before leaning on the table.

"Everyone's gone. Left for the break. We should head out too, ya know."

Charlotte paused mid wipe, considering what to say a moment before she continued her clean up in silence.

"But I guess you want to tidy everything up first," Yami said with a sigh.

Charlotte continued her furious wiping of the board.

"I think it's clean."

She had been wiping the same spot over and over. She put the eraser down, walked over to the trash bin, and retrieved the ball of paper.

"You will never guess what they were doing today." She flattened the paper on the table next to him.

"Hmm. Were they trying to find you a Christmas date as well?" Yami glanced at the sheet. "Hey, I'm still on the list! And... Jack?" He looked up at her, his eyebrow cocked in question.

"They wouldn't stop speculating. Kept saying things like they couldn't believe I was single or wondering who I could end up with. Then they started trying to suggest other faculty..."

Yami chuckled.

"My hooligans were doing the same thing."

"Oh?"

"I guess with the holiday coming up, relationships are on everyone's mind."

"I guess. It's just annoying." She whined as she stretched out and laid her torso across the table. Yami reached across the table and brushed her braid away from her face. He trailed his fingers along her outstretched arm until he reached her hand, where she wrapped her fingers around his.

"Do you think they know?" She asked after a long silence.

"Hmm?"

"About us. Do you think they know?"

Her heart raced as she considered the possibility. Personal relationships between teachers weren't exactly forbidden, but they were generally frowned upon. And they had been careful about keeping their relationship quiet. They made a point of barely even interacting at school and choosing supervision periods where they would not need to be together. It helped they were in different departments and participated in different after school activities. They never even spent time with each other in the time after school when the students had left and the only faculty was on-site wrapping up the day.

At least until today.

The fact he knew where she even was at the end of the day surprised her.

"I think they are just guessing. You know, putting people together just because they only know them in that context."

"Maybe."

"But, if they have..." He shrugged. His nonplussed nature sometimes infuriated her. He could always let things that bothered her roll off of his back. He never seemed to worry about any of the things which seemed to keep her up at night. But then she would see how deeply things would affect him, and she knew he was just very good at hiding his worry.

And the way he would wrap her in his arms when she was in a spiral of worry and make everything go away soothed her in a way she couldn't explain.

She looked at the paper once more, wishing on some level she could shout out to the world how much she loved the man before her.

"Come on. Let's go home." He squeezed her hand before letting it go.

Charlotte sighed and straightened. She stretched her arms over her head and rolled her neck and her shoulders. Yami walked around the table and held his hand out to her. She slipped her hand in his and her heart raced again. Would anyone see them?

He squeezed her fingers and pulled her close to him so he could slip his arm over her shoulder.

"So... what do you want to do for Christmas?" he asked as she nestled into his side. He felt so warm and his presence soothed her so much, she could not help herself even

though the nagging worry of what might happen if someone were to see them still picked at her mind.

"I don't know. We don't have to do anything."

***

The building had indeed been abandoned and the streets nearby were as they walked into the city proper from the quiet neighborhood where the school was situated. The train station was a beacon of light in the darkness on most days but now twinkled in festive shades of red and green. Charlotte cuddled closer to Yami's side, soaking in his warmth to combat the chill in the air.

"You left your jacket at home didn't you?" He chuckled. The word home still felt strange on his lips. Even though they had moved in together several months prior, he was still amazed he was even with her, let alone sharing her bed every night.

"Yeah. I was in a rush. And who knew it get this cold tonight. Let's just get inside, huh?" She wrapped her arms around Yami's waist as he hurried her through the door into the warmth of the station.

"I could have told you if you didn't have to run off to class before dawn, you know." He slung his arm over her shoulders and pulled her closer.

"Yeah, yeah. Come on, we'll miss the train." Charlotte pulled him along with her as she navigated the crowd toward a waiting, gaping opening. They stepped inside just before the doors slid shut. Charlotte looked up at him smiling, laughing--a rare sight to behold out in public. Yami leaned in to kiss her as she turned and sat down in a bank of seats a short way down the car. He pressed his lips together in frustration. She almost always found a way out of public displays of affection somehow. He wasn't even sure if she realized she was doing it. She was still smiling as she looked back at him and patted the seat next to her. She interlaced her fingers through his as soon as he joined her on the bench.

The train ride was fairly short from the suburban school to the city center where they lived. Yet Charlotte still found herself drifting to sleep from the rhythmic motion of the train. She laid her head on Yami's shoulder and felt her eyes slide closed. Yami squeezed the hand he held that was trapped in the space between their legs.

"Professor?" A familiar voice from down the car snapped Charlotte out of her doze. She pulled her hand from where Yami had held it tightly and placed it into her lap.

Yami glanced out the corner of his eye to see an embarrassed blush bloom on her cheeks. He crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes.

"Professor, is that you?" The tall girl with short dark hair pushed her way through the growing crowd on the train to approach Charlotte.

"Hello, Sol. Heading home for the holidays?" Charlotte smiled as she squeezed her hands together to keep them from shaking.

"I knew it was you!" The girl said excitedly. "To my cousin's actually. They live in the city. My parents are out of the country on business."

"I see." Charlotte tried to keep her smile friendly even as her jaw clenched with fear. A silent prayer she wouldn't notice Yami next to her played on repeat through her brain as Sol continued to talk about her family and her holiday plans.

"That sounds very nice," Charlotte interjected at a momentary lull in her speech.

"Mr. Sukehiro?" Sol asked as if she had just noticed Yami's presence and the rate of Charlotte's heartbeat skyrocketed. Yami, to his credit, did a great impression of someone sleeping... unless he was actually asleep.

"Huh?" Yami rubbed his eyes. "Oh. What?"

"Happy Holidays, Mr. Sukehiro," Sol said formally. Yami grimaced at the sudden stiffness in her posture and words.

"Oh, right. Happy Holidays." Yami yawned in an extra effort to sell his role of sleeping on the train.

"I never imagined I would see you and Professor Roselei together like this. I mean, you always seem..." Sol started to stumble over her words.

"Mr. Sukehiro and I happen to live in the same apartment building. Sometimes we end up on the train together." Charlotte explained with a tight smile.

"Oh. Well, I just never thought... the two of you don't seem like you would like each other much..." Sol tried to put her thoughts into words as she scratched the back of her head. She smiled awkwardly as she blushed.

The train pulled into a station and the doors slid open.

"Oh, that's my stop!" Sol grabbed her bag and pushed her way out the door. "Happy Holidays, Professor."

The doors slid shut and the train started again. Charlotte exhaled loudly and her shoulders drooped. Yami reached over and took her hand once more, bringing it to his lips before letting their interlaced fingers nestle between them once more.

"What do you want to do for dinner?" He asked as if the exchange with a student had never happened.

"I don't know. And aren't you the least bit concerned about what just happened?"

"Not really." Yami leaned his head back against the window once more. "I don't feel like cooking. Want to go out?"

"I don't know." Charlotte let her head rest on his shoulder. "After this week, I sort of want to stay in. Especially after what just happened."

"Order in then."

"Sure. And movies?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, and ice cream."

Yami chuckled as the train stopped once again and the doors opened. Yami and Charlotte stood and filed out of the car with a steady stream of people.

"We can pick some up on the way home." He raised their intertwined hands to his lips once more. She didn't fight him over such little displays in public, not anymore, at least not at school, but she still blushed. He loved the pink tinge that came to her cheeks as he embarrassed her.

"You sure you don't want to do anything tomorrow?" He asked as he placed his arm over her shivering shoulders once more.

"I don't know. I still have so much grading to do and preparing for next term..." She started to complain but his sudden stop cut her off.

"Charlotte, it's Christmas. You can take a break for one day." He had turned to face her, stopping her in her tracks.

Staring into his relentless gaze, she sighed.

"Fine. If you want to do something, we'll do something." She succumbed. "But, you figure it out and do all the planning." She added.

Yami's eyebrows shot up.

"So you want me to surprise you." A smirk started to spread on his face.

"Well, yes. I guess so." Charlotte said as worry crept into her voice.

Yami grinned at her in a way that made Charlotte think they were either in for a day spent in bed--not a bad option--or something completely unexpected.

"Let's get some ice cream." Yami turned to the convenience store and walked through the whooshing automatic doors. Charlotte sighed and followed him in.

***

The evening had progressed the same as most of their evenings together. They ate, though usually Yami cooked, and then spent some time sitting together on the couch. He usually played a video game or watched television, and she usually read or worked on stuff for school as she propped her feet up on his lap. Eventually, she would close her book or laptop and cuddle up next to him and he would kiss the top of her head. Sometimes they would make love, sometimes they didn't. It didn't much matter to Yami as long as he got to wake up with her next to him.

But as they lay in bed that night, he found he could not sleep. He rolled onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow to watch her soft, slow breathing.

She wanted him to surprise her, huh? he thought as he brushed a strand of hair back from her face. He wasn't exactly sure what he could do to surprise her. She seemed to read him far too easily.

He draped his arm over her hip and snuggled up next to her as he tried once more to sleep.

***

Yami was gone when Charlotte woke. Which wasn't surprising for a day when she did not have to get up early for school. He had a habit of going on a long run in the mornings, even on days off. The habit suited her just fine as she sat up and felt her stomach start to churn. She rushed to the bathroom and emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet as she had for the last several mornings. She hadn't wanted him to see. By the time Yami returned to their apartment, she had showered, dressed, and brushed her teeth, and was sitting at the table drinking a cup of tea to ease her nausea. She had also rid any trace of her sickness from the bathroom.

"The kettle's still hot." She said as he walked in. She stared at him, her eyes traveling over the contours of his physique. She loved looking at him, almost as much as she loved being held by him. She wanted him to hold her now. She also wanted him to throw her on the bed and fuck her silly. She leaned into him as he walked around the table and put his arms around her. He kissed the top of her head. She then reached up and gripped the back of his neck, pulling him into a deeper kiss.

He licked his lips as he pulled back from her.

"Good Morning." He grinned before kissing her again and then turning to make his own cup of tea.

"Good Morning, yourself." Charlotte turned in her seat to continue watching him. "So what's the plan for today?"

"Hmm..." He took the seat across from her. "You wanna go ice skating?"

"Ice skating?" Charlotte chuckled.

"Yeah. And get hot chocolate afterward? Or mulled wine?" He looked at her over the rim of his mug.

"That sounds fantastic." She took a sip of her tea. Leave it to Yami to suggest something so atypical. "No fancy dinner or anything?"

"Do you want dinner at a fancy restaurant?" His tone of voice suggested that the idea had never crossed his mind.

"No. Just curious." She smiled at him, knowing full well Yami's cooking could rival most of the restaurants in the area if he put in the effort. "But I'm sure there will be kids ice skating as well."

"Worried we'll bump into some students?"

"I'm always worried."

"Don't be, we'll be bundled up, so no one should notice." He quickly drank the rest of his tea. "I'm going to take a shower." he kissed the top of her head as he made his way to the bathroom. "Make sure you dress warmly."

***

Yami pulled a small box out of his pocket, grateful Charlotte hadn't questioned the length of his run. He had called the shop owner just after he had left and had to bribe her to open up early, but he figured the extra he spent on the pastries would be worth it. He hadn't been able to figure out when he would be able to go pick it up without making Charlotte suspicious anyway. He certainly didn't want to bring her with him. to do so. that would have ruined the surprise. And he loved how she lit up when he surprised her.  
He had planned on giving the gift to her on New Year's but since she wanted to do something for Christmas, he figured now was as good a time as any. He placed the box on a shelf in the bathroom before turning on the water. Hopefully, all would go as he planned.

***

Charlotte was buttoning up a dark blue coat when Yami came out of the bathroom wrapped in nothing but a towel. The sight was quite common, but it was always welcome.

She wished she hadn't gotten ready to leave so quickly. She watched as he dried himself and dressed, debating if she should just say to hell with it all and push him on the bed.

He loved it when she was demanding, so she didn't think he could mind. But the moment passed as he pulled on a jacket and disappeared back into the bathroom.

He had stuck his hand into his pocket as he stepped out and saw her across the small room. A lopsided grin spread across his face.

"What were you thinking about?" His voice teased her.

"N-nothing." She tried to match his smile.

"You are a terrible liar, Charlotte." He tilted her chin up to him and kissed her. "Your face always gives you away."

"Then you know what I was thinking about." She slipped her arms around his waist. He kissed her again.

"Plenty of time for that later." He ran his hands over the length of her arms and slipped his hands over hers. He pulled himself out of her embrace and interlaced their fingers.

"Let's get going."

***

The park was busy, packed with families with children playing in the layer of snow which had fallen overnight. Couples walked arm in arm down the pathways through the manicured landscape. The skating rink, likewise, was filled with people enjoying some time on the ice. Charlotte clung to Yami's arm, complaining she had not dressed warmly enough, despite several layers, a heavy coat, scarf, and hat. Yami, on the other hand, seemed unfazed by the cold in his t-shirt and leather jacket. He radiated heat as she tucked herself beneath his arm. He stuck his hand inside his pocket, checking its contents before wrapping his other arm around her as they stood in line for rental skates.  
Yami helped Charlotte lace her skates so she would not have to take off her gloves, and then they were off on the ice. They glided together more gracefully than Yami had thought possible. Though he had some experience on the ice, he was surprised at Charlotte's confidence.

"You've done this before." He said as they rounded the curve on the rink.

"It's been a long time, but yeah. I'm surprised I still remember so much." She spun to face him and continued a lap skating backward. "My parents had me do figure skating when I was little. I was never very good, but it was fun."

"So you learned how to do like jumps and shit?"

"I tried, but I never could get the hang of them." She held out her hand to him and then circled to his side once he took it. They skated in comfortable silence, hand-in-hand, until a massive pile-up of people occurred on the other side of the rink.

Yami pulled her out of the nearest exit, avoiding a collision with the group of fallen skaters.

"You think they're alright?" Charlotte walked around the rink, looking at the cluster as the people within worked to sort themselves out.

"They'll be fine." Yami followed her gaze as they moved to the lockers where they have stowed their gear before taking to the ice. Charlotte ducked her head as she recognized several students from school among the group. She hoped they hadn't noticed her, but one of them called over to Yami. As he walked over to the wall to greet them, Charlotte ducked into the alcove to their locker. She had her shoes back on by the time he made his way over to her.

"Everything alright?" He asked as he sat next to her.

"Yeah. I just..."

"I know you like to keep your life private, Charlotte." He brushed his fingers over her cheek before putting on his shoes.

"It's just with students showing up..."

"It sounds like it's time for some hot chocolate?"

Charlotte nodded.

They walked a short distance to a cafe where the only seats were outside near an electric heater. But even sitting near the heater Charlotte was too cold. Even the steaming cup of hot cocoa couldn't stop her from shivering. Yami sat next to her, wrapping his arms around her, hoping he could warm her up.

"Is it just me, or is it getting colder?" She said through chattering teeth.

Yami looked up at the gray sky.

"Looks like we might get some more snow soon. Maybe we should head back? I'll make you some soup when we get home."

Charlotte, her arms squeezing around his waist, nodded her head against his chest.

"But first... I have something to do." He disentangled himself from her embrace and took a small box out of his jacket pocket. Slipping to the ground, he took a knee before her. Holding out the box, he lifted the lid to reveal a delicate golden ring that seemed to twist around each other like vines encapsulating a deep blue round sapphire.

Charlotte stared at the ring in the box and then looked up at Yami before turning her attention back to the ring.

"Charlotte, I know that we've never really talked about this, but I can't see my life without you in it anymore. You have literally turned my world upside down, ever since that day I sat next to you in a staff meeting and you did your best to ignore me. So I was hoping you would do me the honor of being your husband."

Charlotte felt her breath quicken as his words sank in. She could not bring herself to answer.

"I'm pregnant," she blurted out as soon as she found her voice.

Yami shot to his feet.

"What?" His voice was a mix of surprise and fear.

Charlotte looked up to him and took a deep breath.

"I'm pregnant. And yes, I would love to marry you." She added now that she had given form to her secret.

Yami resumed his seat next to her and she lay her hands over his. He blinked at her and worked his jaw as if he were trying to find a voice for his thoughts.

"When? How long?"

"A couple of months ago. I... I just didn't know how to say it." Charlotte breathed a sigh of relief, took the ring from the box, and slipped it onto her finger. It fit perfectly. "As you said, we've never really talked about long-term possibilities." She looked at the ring on her finger and then up at him. "I love you, Yami. And I want to spend our lives together, have a family together."

Yami shook his head in disbelief. He chuckled to ease his nerves somewhat.

"I just can't surprise you, can I?" He stood up and held his hand out to her.

"Oh, this was very much a surprise. Sorry, I hit you with one too, but I couldn't say yes until you knew." She pressed her palms into his chest and looked up into his eyes with longing.

Yami leaned in and kissed her.

"Come on. Let's go home. Can't have you freezing to death out here."

***

The rest of the break passed uneventfully, though now that Charlotte had told Yami about their child, he had become incredibly aware of what she was eating and making sure she was getting enough sleep, taking vitamins, and all of the things her doctor had told her she should work on doing. Her morning sickness had started to subside. She had stopped vomiting every day, though she still felt the twinge of nausea.

Charlotte sat at the table working on her laptop planning lessons when Yami placed a cup of hot herbal tea next to her.

"I'm going to meet up with Jack to watch the game, alright?" He tucked a strand of hair that had broken loose of her bun behind her ear.

"That's fine." Charlotte did not even look up from what she was typing. The arrangement was typical since Charlotte hated sports. And even though she had been invited many times as one of Jack's department colleagues, she never went to his game viewing parties in the first place. Now more than ever though, she had every reason to keep her distance. Yami and Jack were surprising friends, and Yami took every opportunity to do what she called "guy things" with him. Charlotte encouraged it as it often meant some quiet, uninterrupted work time.

"I've got a plate for you in the refrigerator and there's some soup in the freezer if you want that instead."

Charlotte looked up at him and smiled. She kissed him on his cheek.

"Thank you. Have fun."

Yami stood and squeezed her shoulder once before walking to the door. He stopped before he pulled it open.

"I was thinking that you might want to come too?"

"You know I hate sports, and how much work I get done while you're over there." Charlotte returned to her furious typing.

"Yeah, I know. I just... I feel like I need to tell him. About us."

Her fingers stopped moving along the keys and she turned to him. Charlotte knew it would only be a matter of time before others found out about their illicit affair. Now that they were engaged and she was pregnant, questions were bound to be raised sooner rather than later. The thought of being discovered still scared Charlotte, despite the year or so they had lived together, and the few months they had dated before then. She did not want to risk the career she had built, but she also knew there was no turning back now.

"If you feel you need to, Yami, then tell him. Everyone is bound to find out soon anyway. And he's your friend. He deserves to hear it from you and not the rumor mill."  
Yami reached over and squeezed her hand.

"I'll try to make sure he knows to be discrete."

Charlotte chuckled and looked over at him, her attention momentarily shifting from her work.

"Good luck with that."

Yami kissed her quickly and then flashed her a grin before grabbing his jacket and walking out the door. Charlotte watched him leave and stared at the closed door which now separated them. She smiled and shook her head, chuckling at the thought of him breaking the news to his friend. The smile did not fade as she returned to her work.

***

The first day back and Charlotte already had to sacrifice part of her lunch to watch over the student gathered in the cafeteria. As she walked through the tables, she fretted over what exactly she planned to tell Julius about her upcoming need for leave. She was lost in her thoughts when she overheard some students talking. They were students she knew to be in Yami's class, and they were talking about an ice skating trip several of them had taken on the first day of the break.

"And we ran into Yami there too."

"I bet that was weird."

"Not really, except that he was with some woman. I didn't get a good look at her face though."

"What? A girlfriend perhaps?"

"I don't know, but he seemed to be in an awfully good mood this morning."

"Mr. Sukehiro actually seemed like he wanted to do his job for a change and teach last period. It was weird."

"How the hell has Yami had a girlfriend and we've never found out? It's not like he keeps his private life a secret."

"Oh, I know. How many times has he told us about going drinking with Mr. Ripper?"

Charlotte's eyebrows shot up. She would have to have a talk with Yami about appropriate topics of discussion with students.

"Yeah, he seems like he can't keep anything a secret. Unlike some other teachers we know..."

Charlotte knew they were talking about her. She worked hard to maintain an air of not so much mystery, but of separation between school and personal life.

"You think this is a new development?"

"Can't be. Mr. Ripper said that he got engaged over the break."

"When?"

"In second period. I happened to mention that Yami seemed like he was in a good mood and he said it is probably because he got engaged."

Jack... Charlotte thought she might need to have a word with him too. She circled the other side of the room but had the feeling the group were still chatting about the turn of events in Yami's life. She wondered if they would ever be able to connect the dots.


End file.
